Here’s a List of the Highest-Paid Actors on Television Right Now

You might have heard that the stars of CBS’ staggeringly successful ensemble comedy “The Big Bang Theory” recently lobbied for one hell of a raise. Clearly, it worked out—starting this fall, Emmy winnerJim Parsons, as well as Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco will bag $1 million per episode, making the trio the highest-paid actors on television right now, according to TV Guide Magazine‘s annual survey of stars’ salaries.

Seeing who makes what on TV is an interesting part of the issue’s story, but perhaps even more so is the exploration of what it would take for a network to produce another “Big Bang”-size hit—one that commands seven-figure paydays for its leads, and consistently kills in ratings.

“It has to be a huge, broad, wildly profitable show that is showing no signs of slowing down,” a studio exec told the magazine, noting that simply reaching eight seasons is pretty rare for a sitcom today. “It also has to have a small, core cast that has been there from the beginning. The show can’t have 11 series regulars like ‘Modern Family.'”

But the recipe for television success is changing fast, which led another studio executive to suggest that streaming TV services such as Netflix could be the next company to sign a $1 million paycheck for the star of one of its original series. Netflix is already almost halfway there—“House of Cards” star Kevin Spacey makes about half what Parsons, Galecki, and Cuoco are making now.